FDOT taps Bombardier for SunRail services

Bombardier Transportation said Monday it has signed a contract with the Florida Department of Transportation to provide operations and maintenance services for the Central Florida Commuter Rail Transit project, commonly called SunRail, worth about $195 million.

The contract includes mobilization activities followed by 10 years of service. Bombardier's scope of work for the SunRail commuter rail service will include operations, dispatching, fleet maintenance, track maintenance, customer service, station platform and facility maintenance, and material supply. The Bombardier team will mobilize for service during the coming months and assume its operations and maintenance responsibilities in the spring of 2014.

The SunRail passenger fleet "will include 20 Bombardier BiLevel commuter rail cars that Bombardier will begin delivering this spring," the company said.

"We are proud to be part of this very important expansion of public transit in Central Florida, which will increase people's mobility, provide a regional transportation alternative to Central Florida's congested roads, and benefit the regional economy," said Raymond Bachant, president, Bombardier Transportation North America.

"This new agreement confirms Bombardier's leadership position as a provider of passenger rail equipment and services in North America and worldwide," Bachant said. "Our strong services portfolio complements our innovative products and technologies, allowing us to form a true partnership with our customers throughout the entire product life cycle and to ensure the highest levels of safety, customer service, on-time performance, fleet availability and reliability."